Grocer of district

The grocers of district or trade of district are grocer S or small Supérette S established mainly in the big cities and their Banlieue S.

“ Arab of the corner ” is a familiar expression used in France and Belgium to indicate this type of trade.

With the Canada, such establishments are called break-down mechanics . A known sign is Couche-Tard.

In certain parts of Belgium in particular, the term often used is night shop (from its often late opening) or Paki (managers being often originating in India or the Pakistan).

“Arabic of the corner”

Often late open the evening and at the origin traditionally held by people originating in North Africa, from where their name, these food stores of proximity play an important social role in the urban landscape. The majority offer the main part of the products of first need, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.

Many “Arabic of the corner” from now on is held by people of various nationalities, in particular of the Chinese, Vietnamese , Russian , Serbes, even of the French or people of Indian origin or Pakistani.

The prices are generally high but, insofar as they are not always observed, it happens that this type of grocer appears competing vis-a-vis the large local signs (Supermarché S or Hypermarché S), while remaining more expensive than the Hardware-discount. The customers using these stores for their usual races are rare but many townsmen, appreciating to find in their district a store of breakdown service opened late the evening and bank holidays, make purchases regularly there.

For everyone, I am the Arab of the corner. Arab, that wants to say open the night and Sunday, in the grocer. | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt | Mr Ibrahim and flowers of Coran

The “break-down mechanic”

A break-down mechanic is, with the Quebec and also in the use of the Free-Ontarian S, a trade of proximity where one can buy products of the first consumption (domestic bread, milk, chocolate, beer, products, etc), and which is located in the retail parks and residential, without it being necessary to go in a gross grocer. The break-down mechanics are generally open uninterrupted or during prolonged hours.

The break-down mechanics were a long time the only trade authorized to sell beer apart from the company of State SAQ, which held there a chump end Monopole. Nowadays, the majority of the grocers (i.e. large and average surfaces ) and several gas stations sell Bière and Vin.

The term break-down mechanic was for a long time used only by the French-speaking people of Quebec and Ontario. With time, the term became used by the english-speaking of Quebec. The anglophone author of origin montréalaise Mordecai Richler often has, at the time of his visits with London, makes to reference to the store Harrods as a my local break-down mechanic (my local break-down mechanic).

The “nightshop”

In Belgium, certain small grocers of district open only starting from 18:00, they are usually called nightshop and often propose tobacco, alcohol and phone boxes. They must comply with certain precise rules but it often happens that the same tradesman has a store of day and a store of night to circumvent the rather strict legislation.

External bonds

Belgian legislation on the trade of night

Zh-classical: 便利店 Zh-min-nan: Piān-lī kám-á-tiàm

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